IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,012,942
Granted Patent B2
US 11,012,942 · App. 16/778,826 · Granted May 18, 2021

Method and system for operating a multi-function portable electronic device using voice-activation

Inventors: Daniel Freeman (Santa Cruz, CA); Derek B. Barrentine (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
H04W52/0254G10L15/22H04M1/72403H04M1/72409H04M1/72412H04M1/72415H04M1/72454G10L2015/223H04M1/575H04M1/6066H04M1/6075H04M1/7243H04M1/72433H04M1/72442H04M2250/52H04M2250/74Y02D30/70
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,012,942
App. No.
16/778,826
Filed
Jan 31, 2020
Granted
May 18, 2021
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2415
USPC
455/420
Abstract

Methods and systems in which a portable electronic device can be voice to activated are disclosed. The portable electronic device can be a multi-function electronic device. The voice activation can be robust and context sensitive. The voice activation can also be utilized without any preparatory user action with respect to the portable electronic device. The portable electronic device can also interact with a media system.

Claims (48)

1. An electronic device operable in a plurality of operational states, the portable electronic device comprising a processor and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the processor, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

detecting, via a microphone of the electronic device, a voice input from a user;

determining that at least a portion of the voice input matches characteristics of one or more predetermined commands, wherein the one or more predetermined commands include commands that are authorized for usage while the electronic device is in an operational state;

determining that the electronic device is in the operational state; and

in accordance with a determination that the at least a portion of the voice input matches characteristics of the or more predetermined commands and a determination that the electronic device is in the operational state, executing the one or more predetermined commands.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more predetermined commands correspond to a macro including at least a series of commands to be performed.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the operational state of the electronic device is one of:

a state of graphical user interface being displayed on the electronic device;

a functional mode of the electronic device; and

a low power mode.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the operational state of the electronic device is a low power mode and, wherein detecting the voice input from the user includes monitoring for the voice input while in the low power mode.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the operational state is dependent on a state of an application program being executed by the processor.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is a multi-function device supporting a plurality of functions, one of the functions being wireless voice communications and another of the functions being media playback or media recording.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is a handheld electronic device.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein executing the one or more predetermined commands includes changing the operational mode of the electronic device to another operational mode.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the operational state of the electronic device is a low power mode, and wherein the another operational mode of the electronic device is a normal power mode.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of an electronic device operable in a plurality of operational states, the one or more programs including instructions for:

detecting, via a microphone of the electronic device, a voice input from a user;

determining that at least a portion of the voice input matches characteristics of one or more predetermined commands, wherein the one or more predetermined commands include commands that are authorized for usage while the electronic device is in an operational state;

determining that the electronic device is in the operational state; and

in accordance with a determination that the at least a portion of the voice input matches characteristics of the or more predetermined commands and a determination that the electronic device is in the operational state, executing the one or more predetermined commands.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the one or more predetermined commands correspond to a macro including at least a series of commands to be performed.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the operational state of the electronic device is one of:

a state of graphical user interface being displayed on the electronic device;

a functional mode of the electronic device; and

a low power mode.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the operational state of the electronic device is a low power mode and, wherein detecting the voice input from the user includes monitoring for the voice input while in the low power mode.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the operational state is dependent on a state of an application program being executed by the processor.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the electronic device is a multi-function device supporting a plurality of functions, one of the functions being wireless voice communications and another of the functions being media playback or media recording.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the electronic device is a handheld electronic device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein executing the one or more predetermined commands includes changing the operational mode of the electronic device to another operational mode.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the operational state of the electronic device is a low power mode, and wherein the another operational mode of the electronic device is a normal power mode.

19. A method comprising:

detecting, via a microphone of an electronic device operable in a plurality of operational states, a voice input from a user;

determining that at least a portion of the voice input matches characteristics of one or more predetermined commands, wherein the one or more predetermined commands include commands that are authorized for usage while the electronic device is in an operational state;

determining that the electronic device is in the operational state; and

in accordance with a determination that the at least a portion of the voice input matches characteristics of the or more predetermined commands and a determination that the electronic device is in the operational state, executing the one or more predetermined commands.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the one or more predetermined commands correspond to a macro including at least a series of commands to be performed.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the operational state of the electronic device is one of:

a state of graphical user interface being displayed on the electronic device;

a functional mode of the electronic device; and

a low power mode.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the operational state of the electronic device is a low power mode and, wherein detecting the voice input from the user includes monitoring for the voice input while in the low power mode.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the operational state is dependent on a state of an application program being executed by the processor.

24. The method of claim 19 , wherein the electronic device is a multi-function device supporting a plurality of functions, one of the functions being wireless voice communications and another of the functions being media playback or media recording.

25. The method of claim 19 , wherein the electronic device is a handheld electronic device.

26. The method of claim 19 , wherein executing the one or more predetermined commands includes changing the operational mode of the electronic device to another operational mode.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the operational state of the electronic device is a low power mode, and wherein the another operational mode of the electronic device is a normal power mode.

Continuity (3)
Continuation 14605793 · Jan 26, 2015
Continuation 11696057 · Apr 3, 2007
Related Publication 20200305084A1 · Sep 24, 2020
Cited By (9)
US 12,301,635 US 12,333,404 US 12,361,943 US 12,367,879 US 12,386,434 US 12,386,491 US 12,477,470 US 12,608,171 US 12,748,568